German airport Leipzig hopes to be used as base by DHL

Leipzig-Halle airport, Germany, is hoping that it will be chosen as a base by DHL, the subsidiary of German postal service operator Deutsche Post that specialises in express deliveries and logistics. DHL is currently based in Brussels, but says that it will be able to deal with the increasing volume of deliveries only if the airport there is extended and remains in operation during the night. However, there is opposition to these plans.

Leipzig airport is already reported to have been short-listed as a potential base for DHL. The airport has a 24-hour licence and is based in an area that is not densely populated and in which salaries are lower than in Brussels. In addition, there is the possibility that the company could receive funding for using Leipzig as a base. Although both Deutsche Post and DHL have refused to comment on their plans and say that a decision will be announced in September, Klaus Zumwinkel, the head of Deutsche Post, is reported to have told Wolfgang Clement, the German minister of economic affairs, that the freight centre will be based in Leipzig. If this is the case, it could lead to investments of 250m euros in the region and the creation of 3,000 jobs.